Yu You's Past

Before proceeding with this matter, Ye Shuang still wanted to ask Bai Yuyou for her opinion. Although he knew very well that Yuyou had suffered in her earlier years, he couldn’t simply disregard her feelings and whisk her away without her consent.

Though, this girl would probably be more than willing to follow him.

After strolling around outside for a while, the group had a meal of frog hotpot before returning to the residential complex.

As they entered the building, Ye Shuang suddenly noticed a stranger standing in front of his door, frowning while holding a key.

It was a middle-aged woman in her forties, dressed in professional attire, her expression weary.

Yuyou’s… mother?

That was Ye Shuang’s first thought—

Perhaps sensing movement behind her, the woman turned around and immediately fixed her gaze on Bai Yuyou. “Hmm?”

“Bai Yuyou, did you change the lock on the door?” The woman clearly knew Yuyou. As soon as she spoke, she noticed Ye Shuang. “And who are you?!”

Before Ye Shuang could respond, Bai Yuyou whispered, “Aunt…”

Aunt?

Hearing this, Ye Shuang realized she might not be Bai Yuyou’s mother but rather an aunt or some other relative.

Some of his earlier doubts dissipated. He remembered that when he first moved in, there were signs of use in the kitchen—yet Bai Yuyou didn’t cook, and the timeline of her parents’ departure didn’t match the traces left behind.

“You—” Before Bai Meiling could continue, Ye Shuang took out his key and opened the door. “Let’s talk inside.”

Once inside, Bai Meiling was momentarily taken aback by the warm and tidy state of the apartment. But she quickly deduced it was Ye Shuang’s doing. Suddenly, her expression darkened, and she stormed into Bai Yuyou’s bedroom.

A few seconds later, she emerged, furious. “Where’s the money?!”

“What happened to all the cash in this house?!”

Ye Shuang remained calm, his gaze as still as a lake. “It’s all been deposited in the bank for safekeeping.”

“You put all that cash in the bank?!” Bai Meiling paled, as if struck by a terrifying thought.

Her reaction only confirmed Ye Shuang’s suspicions. His tone cooled. “What’s the problem? Money in the bank can still be withdrawn. Unless… it’s dirty money?”

“How dare you?!” His words struck a nerve, and Bai Meiling pulled out her phone. “I’m calling the police! You broke into this house and stole money!”

Ye Shuang and Bai Yuyou stood side by side, unfazed, as if watching a movie.

“Bai Yuyou, are you stupid? Why are you standing with him?” Bai Meiling snapped. “Come here.”

The girl, however, whispered, “No…” and moved even closer to Ye Shuang.

“You—!”

Ye Shuang cut in, “If you can’t dial, I’ll do it for you.”

Bai Meiling’s face twisted in frustration. She hesitated, wrestling with something internally—before finally giving up and lowering her phone.

“Sit. I have questions for you,” Ye Shuang said, settling onto the sofa.

His demeanor made it seem as though he were the master of the house, his presence overwhelming Bai Meiling. At that moment, he was like a quiet lion, ready to bare his fangs at any second.

“Are you Yuyou’s biological aunt?” His first question visibly unsettled her.

“I—I am,” Bai Meiling stammered.

Then she fired back, “And who are you?! Why are you here?!”

“You could say I’m taking care of Yuyou now,” Ye Shuang replied.

“No! I won’t allow it!”

Watching her agitation, Ye Shuang merely smiled faintly. “I’m just informing you. Later, I’ll take her to the police station to have her blood sample recorded in the anti-trafficking database.”

“Don’t get worked up. Just tell me what you know.”

Bai Meiling fell silent.

Unfazed, Ye Shuang softened his tone and turned to Bai Yuyou. “Yuyou, pour two glasses of water.”

The girl nodded and returned with two cups—one for Ye Shuang, one for Bai Meiling.

“Aunt… drink water…”

“…” Bai Meiling’s expression crumpled further, as if Bai Yuyou’s gesture had pierced her. “What a sin…”

“What a sin…”

Ye Shuang wasn’t in a hurry. From Bai Meiling’s earlier reaction, he was already 70-80% certain of his suspicions.

Bai Yuyou had been trafficked.

Given the couple’s history of borrowing money, that large sum of cash couldn’t have been theirs. It might have belonged to Bai Yuyou’s real parents—or been obtained through other shady means.

But because the money was dirty, they didn’t dare deposit it, likely using cash in secret.

And after Bai Laoqi was imprisoned, his wife, fearing exposure, might have panicked—abandoning the money and Bai Yuyou to flee elsewhere.

Of course, this was all speculation.

Still, Ye Shuang felt a quiet relief. If Bai Yuyou’s real parents were out there, it was less horrifying than the alternative—the thought of a mother locking her own child in an attic like a pet for years was far more monstrous.

Even wild beasts don’t harm their young.

Yet some parents fail spectacularly. You need a license to drive, but anyone can become a parent.

Thinking of Bai Yuyou confined in that dark attic for eight years, perhaps wondering why she was caged like an animal—

No matter how much she cried out, no one ever came to help.

“What a sin,” Ye Shuang murmured, echoing Bai Meiling’s words.

Bai Meiling studied him deeply before finally relenting—

She was Bai Laoqi’s sister. She didn’t know much, but she confirmed that Bai Yuyou had been brought home one day by Bai Laoqi—along with the money.

According to her, Bai Laoqi quickly regretted it, living in constant fear. And as Bai Yuyou grew older, his wife, terrified she might remember her past, locked her away under the pretense of mental illness.

After Bai Laoqi was imprisoned, their fear peaked. His wife, worried he might talk, moved houses—eventually abandoning both the money and Bai Yuyou to work in another city.